The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-02-10

The memory Of Charles D4gar DyD
demands no salogy. He wrote his sxn
history upon ne tinss in with hs live,
and the record Of his services 10 AIssh ~
the minds of Che people Of Flsrida. ID
Impulses were essentially those OF unsel-I
Sab patriotism, and his powerful mind
seconded them in work for the public an
terest. While his ability commanded re-
spect his amiability gained him esteem
and he convinced the iaeellects while he|
won the affections of those with whom bel
came into association. Thus it was that
he built up an influence which was perma-
nent because it was we'll founded, and it'll
was widespread because brief intercourse|
with individuals sufficed to attach themI
to him, and thus his list of personal friends|
the country over was numbered by thou
sands. This influence made him q power
for good as it was exercised in the cause of
right, and he stood in the front rank of
those who battled for the social, political
and industrial progress of Florida.
Though eloquent of speech and wise in|
council it was in his profession of journal
ist that Captain Dyke was enabled to|
|achieve his widest usefulness. For more
than third of century he was, with oc-|
|casional brief intervals, editorially con-
|nected with the FLoRIDIAN, and in refer
ring to his journalistic career it is appro-|
pirate to repeat now what we wrote of him|
more than three and a half years ago when|
we took charge of the paper: Conducting
this paper was not merely a business oc
|cupation with its proprietor, and it would
never have become as fixed an institu J
ton " if Captain Dyke had so considered
it. AS business merely it was entitled
to the usual reward of industry and abil-
ity; but pecuniary interest was ever sub
ordinated to the dictates of principle.
The majority of newspapers attempted
on this highest plane of journalism
have failed because they lacked
what this possessed-practical business
talent to second and sustain the genius
of the work. By such happy combina-
ton in its proprietor, the FLoR1D1AN
struck roots deep and firm, and became
Ga power in the land" for it was the
voice Of man strong and true, earnest
in purpose, prompt in effor: for the right,
or in opposition to the wrong. His mind
comprehended the problems of statecraft
as they arose, and suggested the method
of remedy or the plan Of support, and in
politics he was ever alive to an emer-
gency of situation" ready to grasp and
control the rising issue to usefulness or
divert it to harmlessness. In him it was
demonstrated that partyism was patriot
ism, and 80 in saying that the Democratic
party never can understand and appre-
ciate how much it owes him, we mean
the State of Florida, which the Democ-
racy rescued from ruin and is sustaining
in progress. He loved the State, he
knew no section, he worked for the good
of the whole. To accomplish an object
in aid of the party, which meant the State,
he cared not if self-sacrifice were involved;
and it troubled him little whether his
agency was recognized on it's merits, or
misconstrued or misrepresented by the
stupid, the baf1ed, or the malignant.
His empire was in himself" thor
oughly independent domain, defying out
side assault, selfcontained in his own
integrity of purpose, scorning explana-
tion-unless policy demanded it in aid of
the public veal: and when he eek
plained" all opponents went down before
the "grim battery" of his facts and logic.
But the strong editor, the brave Con
federate soldier, the wise and good citizen,
has passed from among US, and how much
bis loss is felt by the community, and
how earnest their sympathy with his de-
voted and bereaved wife, was attested by
the sabbath stiffness of a city of closed
doors-from which the people had gone
out to attend his burial en- masse 1t was
the occasion of one of the most notable
demonstrations of unanimity of feeling
that we have ever witnessed-this pro-
portionately large crowd of the living
seeking the city of the dead with the
honored dust that now reposes amid the
empowering trees and fragrant flowers,
awaiting the resurrection of the just.
We regret that a biographical sketch
of Captain Dyke is deferred to another
issue because of the impossibility of OBJ
tanning in time certain information essen
tial to its completeness and accuracy.
RAlmNCl for the mAmA .lMmmmnlla